Mexico’s INM (National Institute of Immigration) introduced an online appointments system in 2021, which was suspended in August 2022 for maintenance and improvement work. The online appointments system was reintroduced on Tuesday, September 17th 2024.
Smaller regional INM Offices not using the new system
Not all INM offices are using the online system. Smaller regional offices, known as Oficinas de Representación Locales, are still using manual booking systems and if you go to one of these smaller offices to file, you will need to attend in person to ask for an appointment date or a service token for that day.
How the new online system is working in practice
Our immigration assistance associates are reporting that the system is working well and that they are successfully making appointing dates using it. Here are some notes about their initial experience of using the system:
- Appointment dates are currently being offered with a lead time of approximately one week from the date they are requested. For example, on the 17th of September, the soonest appointment dates offered were on the 23rd of September.
- The system is currently allowing appointments to be made up to three weeks in advance and no further forward than that. Our associates expect new dates to be opened up each week on a rolling basis.
- Therefore, applicants ought to expect to have to wait at least a week for an appointment, and cannot currently book further in advance than three weeks.
- Lead times and available appointment dates may vary by location and are subject to change anytime without notice.
To use the system, applicants must create an account online using the INM portal, request the filing type and complete the online forms, and then search the calendar for available dates. You can do this yourself, or you can hire our immigration assistance associates to take care of this for you.
Procedures that can be booked online
Many, but not all, procedures may be booked online. There are 18 named procedures in the brief released by the INM, which cover the following types of applications and filings:
- Exchange of a Residency Visa issued in your passport at a Mexican consulate to a Residency Card in Mexico.
- Applications for residency via Family Unit.
- Applications for residency based of Humanitarian grounds.
- Change of status from Temporary Student to Temporary Resident.
- Change of status from Temporary to Permanent residency.
- Renewals of existing residency cards.
- Replacement of lost/damaged residency cards.
- Notifications of changes to personal circumstances. (You must attend in person to file the Notifications; they cannot be filed solely online.)
- Request for work permissions on existing Temporary Residency cards.
Appointments for Regularization procedures cannot be booked online
Note that you cannot use the online booking system for matters related to ‘regularization’—which includes the RNE special procedure. You must instead visit your local immigration office in person and ask to be attended that way.
More updates to come
We are keeping this article regularly updated as new information becomes available.
Our associates can help with a wide range of procedures related to applying for and managing your existing residency in Mexico. You can find details about their immigration assistance services here.
Get assistance with your residency application or renewal
When you need assistance with your Mexico residency application, renewals, or regularization procedures, our Mexico Immigration Assistance Service provides consulting, advice, and practical support that assists you through the entire residency application or renewal process, including visa exchanges, regularization procedures, and troubleshooting.
